which the answered, that it was impoffible to avoid vain thoughts.

I was once permitted to vifit her. She was cheerful and polite, and her conversation agreeable. Her apartment was neat; but the whole furniture confifted of a mattress, a table, on which were a crucifix and a book, a chair, which fhe gave me to fit on, and over the mantlepiece a picture of St. Veronica difplaying her handkerchief, on which was feen the miraculous impreffion of the face of Chrift, which the explained to me with great gravity. Her countenance was pale, but the had never experienced fickness; and I may adduce her as another proof how little is fufficient to maintain life and health.

At the printing-house I contracted an intimacy with a fenfible young man of the name of Wygate, who, as his parents were in good circumftances, had received a better education than is common with printers. He was a tolerable Latin fcholar, fpoke French fluently, and was fond of reading. I taught him, as well as a friend of his, to fwim, by taking them twice only into the river; after which they food in need of no farther affiftance. We one day made a party to go by water to Chelsea, in order to see the College, and Don Saltero's curiofities. On our return, at the request of the company, whofe curiofity Wygate had excited, I undreffed myfelf, and leaped into the river. I fwam from near Chelsea the whole way to Blackfriars Bridge, exhibiting, during my course, a variety of feats of activity and address, both upon the furface of the water as well as under it. This fight occafioned much astonishment and pleasure to those to whom it was new. In my youth I took great delight in this exercife. I knew, and could execute, all the evolutions and pofitions of Thevenot;

Thevenot; and I added to them fome of my own invention, in which I endeavoured to unite gracefulness and utility. I took a pleafure in difplaying them all on this occafion, and was highly flattered with the admiration they excited.

Wygate, befides his being defirous of perfecting himself in this art, was the more attached to me from there being, in other refpects, a conformity in our taftes and ftudies. He at length propofed to me to make the tour of Europe with him, maintaining ourfelves at the fame time by working at our profeffion. I was on the point of confenting, when I mentioned it to my friend Mr. Denham, with whom I was glad to pafs an hour whenever I had leifure. He diffuaded me from the project, and advised me to think of returning to Philadelphia, which he was about to do himfelf. I muft relate in this place a trait of this worthy man's character.

He had formerly been in business at Bristol, but failing, he compounded with his creditors, and departed for America, where, by affiduous application as a merchant, he acquired in a few years a very confiderable fortune. Returning to England in the fame veffel with myself, as I have related above, he invited all his old creditors to a feaft. When affembled, he thanked them for the readiness with which they had received his fmall compofition; and, while they expected nothing more than a fimple entertainment, each found under his plate, when it came to be removed, a draft upon a banker for the refidue of his debt, with intereft.

He told me that it was his intention to carry back with him to Philadelphia a great quantity of goods, in order to open a ftore; and he offered to take me with him in the capacity of

clerk, to keep his books, in which he would inftruct me, copy letters, and fuperintend the fore. He added that, as foon as I had acquired a knowledge of mercantile tranfactions he would improve my fituation, by fending me with a cargo of corn and flour to the American iflands, and by procuring me other lucrative commiffions; fo that, with good management and œconomy, I might in time begin bufinefs with advantage for myself.

I relished these propofals, London began to tire me; the agreeable hours I had paffed at Philadelphia prefented themselves to my mind, and I wished to fee them revive. I confequently engaged myself to Mr. Denham, at a falary of fifty pounds a-year. This was indeed lefs than I earned as a compofitor, but then I had a much fairer profpect. I took leave therefore, as I believed for ever, of printing, and gave myfelf up entirely to my new occupation, fpending all my time either in going from houfe to houfe with Mr. Denham to purchafe goods, or in packing them up, or in expediting the workmen, &c. &c When every thing however was on board, I had at laft a few days leifure.

During this interval, I was one day fent for by a gentleman, whom I knew only by name. It was Sir William Wyndham. I went to his houfe. He had by fome means heard of my performances between Chelsea and Blackfriars. and that I had taught the art of fwimming to Wygate and another young man in the course of a few hours. His two fons were on the point of fetting out on their travels; he was defirous that they fhould previously learn to fwim, and offered me a very liberal reward if I would undertake to inftruct them. They were not yet arrived in town, and the ftay I fhould make my

felf

felf was uncertain; I could not therefore accept his propofal. I was led however to fuppofe from this incident, that if I had wifhed to remain in London, and open a fwimming school, I fhould perhaps have gained a great deal of money. This idea ftruck me fo forcibly, that, had the offer been made fooner, I fhould have difmiffed the thought of returning as yet to America. Some years after, you and I had a more important bufinefs to fettle with one of the fons of Sir William Wyndham, then Lord Egremont. But let us not anticipate events.

I thus paffed about eighteen months in London, working almoft without intermiffion at my trade, avoiding all expence on my own account, except going now and then to the play, and purchafing a few books. But my friend Ralph kept me poor. He owed me about twenty-feven pounds, which was fo much money loft; and when confidered as taken from my little favings, was a very great fum. I had, notwithstanding this, a regard for him, as he poffeffed many amiable qualities. But tho' I had done nothing for myfelf in point of fortune, I had increased my ftock of knowledge, either by the many excellent books I had read, or the converfation of learned and literary perfons with whom I was acquainted.

We failed from Gravefend the 23d of July 1726. For the incidents of my voyage I refer you to my Journal, where you will find all its circumftances minutely related. We landed at Philadelphia on the 11th of the following Octo

ber.

Keith had been deprived of his office of governor, and was fucceeded by Major Gordon. I met him walking in the streets as a private individual. He appeared a little ashamed at feeing me, but paffed on without faying any thing. F 2 I should

1

I should have been equally afhamed myself at meeting Mifs Read, had not her family, juftly defpairing of my return after reading my letter, advised her to give me up, and marry a potter, of the name of Rogers; to which the confented: but he never made her happy, and she foon feparated from him, refufing to cohabit with him or even bear his name, on account of a report which prevailed, of his having another wife. His fkill in his profeffion had feduced Mifs Read's parents; but he was as bad a fubject as he was excellent as a workman. He involved himself in debt, and Acd, in the year 1727 or 1728, to the Weft Indies, where he died.

During my absence Keimer had taken a more confiderable houfe, in which he kept a fhop, that was well fupplied with paper, and various other articles. He had procured fome new types, and a number of workmen; among whom, however, there was not one who was good for any thing; and he appeared not to want business.

Mr. Denham took a warehouse in Water-ftreet, where we exhibited our commodities. I applied myfelf clofely, ftudied accounts, and became in a fhort time very expert in trade. We lodged and cat together. He was fincerely attached to me, and acted towards me as if he had been my father. On my fide, I refpected and loved him. My fituation was happy; but it was a happiness of no long duration.

Early in February 1727, when I entered into my twenty-fecond year, we were both taken ill. I was attacked with a pleurify, which had nearly carried me off; I fuffered terribly, and confidered it as all over with me. I felt indeed a fort of difappointment when I found myself likely to recover, and regretted that I had ftill to experience, fooner or later, the fame dif agreeable scene again.

I have